The Lagos State Police Command says it has dismantled an alleged criminal syndicate that defrauded vehicle dealers by obtaining vehicles with dud and post-dated cheques before reselling them for personal gain.
The operation was carried out by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Tijani Fatai.
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In a statement shared on Tuesday on X, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Adebisi, stated that the breakthrough followed investigations into three separate cases that uncovered what investigators described as a coordinated criminal network.
According to the statement, the syndicate allegedly used false representations and fraudulent payment instruments to obtain exotic vehicles from unsuspecting dealers before disposing of them.
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“The breakthrough followed investigations into three separate cases, which revealed a coordinated syndicate that fraudulently obtained exotic vehicles from dealers using false representations and dud or post-dated cheques before disposing of the vehicles for personal gain,” the statement said.
The police explained that investigations led to the arrest of key members of the syndicate, while other suspects remain at large.
The latest arrests add to a series of police operations targeting vehicle fraud syndicates that rely on forged payment alerts, dud cheques, false identities and other deceptive schemes to obtain vehicles before reselling them, often outside the state.
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Police have repeatedly advised vehicle dealers to verify payments with financial institutions before handing over vehicles, particularly in high-value transactions.
Using intelligence-led operations and the AUTOREG Vehicle Tracking Platform, detectives recovered seven vehicles allegedly linked to the syndicate. They include two Toyota Highlanders (2017 and 2007 models), a 2010 Toyota RAV4, three Toyota Hiace buses (two 2016 models and one 2020 model), and a 2018 Ford Edge SUV.
The command said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate and recover additional vehicles believed to have been fraudulently obtained.
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“Efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and recover the remaining vehicles. The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations,” the statement added.
The police also urged vehicle dealers and business owners to exercise greater caution when concluding sales involving high-value assets.
“The Lagos State Police Command advises vehicle dealers and business owners to exercise due diligence before releasing vehicles, particularly where payment is made through post-dated cheques or unfamiliar intermediaries,” the statement stated.
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